[LM24] La Sarthe/Arnage Track and Other Changes

[Deleted]

Originally Posted by wewantourdarbyback

Other than the solid barriers.

If you hit the grass before it meant 99,9% hitting those solid barriers. Now you can go as wide as you can as long as you don't touch the physical barriers. So it is exponentially easier as it is much wider. And ACO is too coward to punish anyone, unless its for political reasons.

Also, you all heard some of the driver comments on RLM about how the prototype drivers will now very likely be passing GT cars from outside the line in Curves (and elsewhere), instead of waiting behind like in the past. We will have Davidson vs Collard moments this year in numbers, I'm telling you. (this might've been discussed in another thread but I cannot check most of them because of the reason I gave in the RLM thread)

I think it was Mardenborough who said when he did the track check, he was actively seeking for the off track asphalt runoff spots that he could cross over for faster lap time.

[deggis]

Originally Posted by Chiana

And ACO is too coward to punish anyone, unless its for political reasons.

Still think so after the sessions? Freitas took a big role...

Now seeing cars in action, things do not look that different altough not all camera angles have even been on yet. Visually the pink gravel? sure helps at the most ruined part as it still gives the public road look to it. And I guess drivers don't easily opt to drive on it either.

Here is a soothing quote from Fillon:

Could we ever see the 24 Hours of Le Mans become a permanent circuit?

“This project was studied a few years ago but it’s untenable financially. The local authorities have other concerns. in addition, a race on the big circuit must remain something rare.”

http://sportscar365.com/industry/beh...pierre-fillon/

[Richard T]

So, when it's all done and dusted. Did we even notice or care?
I certainly did not

[deggis]

How many cars need to still crash where Goethe crashed before that concrete barrier is SAFERed?

[Adam43]

Originally Posted by Richard T

So, when it's all done and dusted. Did we even notice or care?
I certainly did not

Nope. The lines through the corners didn't rage me. It's a great circuit in the character it has been for, at least, the last 25 years.

Should i be outraged and annoyed by suggestions otherwise? Don't make me laugh.

[Alan52]

A few questions about things that were raised in this thread
1Did the new Porsche building restrict the view from the stand next to it?I can't remember exactly how far you could see back up the straight leading to the final chicane but it seemed from TV this might have been reduced.
2Was the mound on the outside the Porsche Curves restricted to Travel Destinations campers?Also was there still a big screen at the Porsche Curves on race day as there was in 2014?

[PascaLM]

Originally Posted by Alan52

A few questions about things that were raised in this thread
1Did the new Porsche building restrict the view from the stand next to it?I can't remember exactly how far you could see back up the straight leading to the final chicane but it seemed from TV this might have been reduced.
2Was the mound on the outside the Porsche Curves restricted to Travel Destinations campers?Also was there still a big screen at the Porsche Curves on race day as there was in 2014?

1 - I checked this and there is no difference because the mound for spectators bordering the straight you talk about was already hiding it.
2 - After the race I visited the first Porsche curve and I asked this to a track local worker who confirmed that this place was private for this year.

[Victor_RO]

The Travel Destination guys said during the RLM race previews that the new spectator banking down there was not stable enough for full public access yet (according to the ACO). So there might be a chance that it will get re-opened for general entrance next year if there is some more consolidation work done on it.

[PascaLM]

Originally Posted by Victor_RO

The Travel Destination guys said during the RLM race previews that the new spectator banking down there was not stable enough for full public access yet (according to the ACO). So there might be a chance that it will get re-opened for general entrance next year if there is some more consolidation work done on it.

The roots of vegetation need to grow and contribute to stabilisation.

[jee]

Originally Posted by CTD

It will certainly hurt their business. However I do think it is good to get more spectators moving in that direction. The section between the pits up to Tertre Rouge can be quite crowded, together with the Maison Blanche campsite viewing spots.

Just catching this one up, I really hopy they are building a bridge or tunnel between Maisson Blance and the fun fair, it takes ages to get there.

[Simmi]

The Porsche Center (why the hell did they go with the American spelling???) didn't really alter the experience. It just blocked a bit of a view off towards Porsche Curves. You could actually see the cars and headlights in the distance before but that's not really a big deal.

Have to say I don't think the changes had any effect on the race. Would need to check back to see how much of the new surface was actually being used but it didn't feel like much. The Porsche Curves still bite. I do agree about sticking in a couple of safer barrier sections. That to me would be a much more sensible use of funds than gradually tarmacing over stuff.

[Michel Vaillant]

Bad news : a roundabout will be created near the Arnage corner. A detour will be in place for ordinary cars during the normal period. The corner will be conserved during the race, but the problem is about the public area : the deviation will cut the campsite, and the mound. Rumors say the mound will be destroyed and replaced by a grandstand
In my opinion, all the trees will be down, because it will be very heavy works, the roots will not endure the passage of bulldozers, tractors etc.
It was one of my favorite place, very typic, with trees, grass, traditional snack, and the smell of fir resin during the night...
I fear this area becomes like Esses de la Forêt, a sterile place without nature and just with a plastic grandstand



Please, i don't want to loose this landscape

[Aysedasi]

It would be dreadful to lose that viewing position. It was the one place that left me dumbfounded this year. I've watched from the very corner of that viewing area (nearest to the entrance and looking away from Arnage) many, many times, but never have I been so flabbergasted by the speed of the LMP1s and in particular the Porsches, as they rocketed away from the corner. At the time I described it akin to a jet aircraft being launched from an aircraft carrier - it was staggering.

[PascaLM]

Originally Posted by Michel Vaillant

Bad news : a roundabout will be created near the Arnage corner. A detour will be in place for ordinary cars during the normal period. The corner will be conserved during the race, but the problem is about the public area : the deviation will cut the campsite, and the mound. Rumors say the mound will be destroyed and replaced by a grandstand
In my opinion, all the trees will be down, because it will be very heavy works, the roots will not endure the passage of bulldozers, tractors etc.
It was one of my favorite place, very typic, with trees, grass, traditional snack, and the smell of fir resin during the night...
I fear this area becomes like Esses de la Forêt, a sterile place without nature and just with a plastic grandstand

Please, i don't want to loose this landscape

Yes, this would be a massacre of the last "natural" place which hasn't changed for decades. They had already removed a part of the Indianapolis mound several years ago to increase the gravel trap (for good safety reasons).
On the other hand, acccording to this map, maybe we will have a better view towards the straight that leads from Arnage corner to the Porsche.

[wewantourdarbyback]

Oh, wow, I thought the old plan to cut away before Indy seemed bad, but to cut right through the spectator bank? That's a travesty.

[Deleted]

Originally Posted by deggis

Still think so after the sessions? Freitas took a big role...

Race control did excellent job in qualifying (although monitoring seemed to only really focus on Tetre Rouge...) but I guess they got bored come actual race as very few violations were actually investigated, even though it was the same shiz again. Corvette Corner is such a fiasco...

Anyway the "shoulder" bits at rundown to Indy/Arnage/Curves, they didn't exploit them nearly as much as I feared, which was good. Still, looked sad in comparison to the past, even if the "pink gravel" soothed it a bit.

Full night time TV shots from the public road sections were awesome and long waited, didn't disappointed. As I said earlier, we can only pray for them to not ruin them with floodlight posts for "luxury reasons" in coming years

[Mike E]

Originally Posted by Michel Vaillant

Bad news : a roundabout will be created near the Arnage corner. A detour will be in place for ordinary cars during the normal period. The corner will be conserved during the race, but the problem is about the public area : the deviation will cut the campsite, and the mound. Rumors say the mound will be destroyed and replaced by a grandstand
In my opinion, all the trees will be down, because it will be very heavy works, the roots will not endure the passage of bulldozers, tractors etc.
It was one of my favorite place, very typic, with trees, grass, traditional snack, and the smell of fir resin during the night...
I fear this area becomes like Esses de la Forêt, a sterile place without nature and just with a plastic grandstand



Please, i don't want to loose this landscape

Thanks for this update, Michel. Please post any other information you see about this. Like many others I really value this particular viewing point and would hate to see it destroyed. A grandstand of some sort at the corner could solve the problem, unless you have to pay for it...

On the positive side, the roundabout (which is maybe considered important for saftey or traffic management reasons) is not affecting the actual track.

[Aysedasi]

Originally Posted by Mike E

A grandstand of some sort at the corner could solve the problem, unless you have to pay for it...

I wouldn't have any doubt at all that if there is a grandstand built there, you would have to pay for a seat in it. Hopefully it would be accessible though during free practice and qually. (Having said that, it would need to be pretty big to cope with demand...... ).

[PascaLM]

After the first day of the ACO exhibition, last Friday, I did a "lap" on the circuit from Tertre Rouge to Maison Blanche for my son Vincent. As we were at the virage d'Arnage, we saw the result of a big accident involving two cars at the famous stop. The emergency services were there.
I must admit that this future roundabout will increase the road safety. I only hope this good point of view on the circuit won't be another victim of dangerous drivers.

[Coach Ep]

update on Porsche Curves and Arnage 'projects':

http://www.dailysportscar.com/2015/0...r-planned.html

[Deleted]

Another significant project involving the construction of four new pits should start before the end of 2015 or early 2016. Details surrounding these works will be released at a later date.

I thought it was 2 new making it 58 for 2016, and further 2 new making it 60 for 2017.

[TF110]

Dsc talking of track changes on La Sarthe at Porsche curves and Arnage.

[deggis]

That was just posted.

[Michel Vaillant]

[IMG][/IMG]

[Deleted]

Is that from the Arnage to start of the Curves rundown, or Mulsanne Corner to Indianapolis?

Either way...